a hard malleable ductile greyish-white element. It occurs principally in wolframite and scheelite and is used in lamp filaments, electrical contact points, X-ray targets, and, alloyed with steel, in high-speed cutting tools. Symbol: W; atomic no: 74; atomic wt: 183.85; valency: 2–6; relative density: 19.3; melting pt: 3422±20°C; boiling pt: 5555°C
Also called: wolfram
Word origin
C18: from Swedish tung heavy + stenstone
tungsten in American English
(ˈtʌŋstən)
noun
a hard, heavy, gray-white, metallic chemical element, found in wolframite, scheelite, tungstite, etc., and used in steelfor high-speed tools, in electric contact points and lamp filaments, etc.: symbol, W; at. no., 74
Derived forms
tungstenic (tungˈstenic) (ˈtʌŋˈstɛnɪk)
adjective
Word origin
Swed, lit., heavy stone, orig. name for scheelite, coined (1755) by A. F. Cronstedt(see nickel) < tung, heavy (< IE *tṇghu- < base *ten-, to pull > thin) + sten, akin to OE stan, stone; used (1783) for element isolated from scheelite by J. J. de Elhuyar (1754-96) &F. de Elhuyar (1755-1833), Sp chemists
`Bruce Medway,' she said, as if tungsten would melt in her mouth.
Robert Wilson INSTRUMENTS OF DARKNESS (2002)
High ceilings with steel and tungsten light fittings, the tables and chairs a design statement in themselves.
Val McDermid THE LAST TEMPTATION (2002)
Tiny tungsten bulbs embedded in the ceiling dropped a dozen cones of light into the room.
Mark Burnell THE RHYTHM SECTION (2002)
Word lists with
tungsten
chemical
All related terms of 'tungsten'
tungsten lamp
a lamp in which light is produced by a tungsten filament heated to incandescence by an electric current. The glass bulb enclosing the filament contains a low pressure of inert gas, usually argon . Sometimes small amounts of a halogen , such as iodine , are added to improve the intensity ( tungsten-halogen lamp )
tungsten steel
any of various hard steels containing tungsten (1–20 per cent ) and traces of carbon . They are resistant to wear at high temperatures and are used in tools
tungsten carbide
a fine very hard crystalline grey powder produced by heating tungsten and carbon to a very high temperature: used in the manufacture of drill bits , dies, etc. Symbol: WC; melting pt: 2870°C
halogen lamp
a lamp in which light is produced by a tungsten filament heated to incandescence by an electric current . The glass bulb enclosing the filament contains a low pressure of inert gas, usually argon . Sometimes small amounts of a halogen , such as iodine , are added to improve the intensity ( tungsten-halogen lamp )
tungsten carbide insert studded bit
A tungsten carbide insert studded bit is a drill bit in the form of a steel tube with a bottom rim that has pieces of tungsten carbide (= a hard gray chemical compound) in it.